Ferrari Still Faster

By Steve Slater

SADLY, I think the Scuderia still has a long way to go before we can consider them likely winners, but Felipe Massa at least started the Spanish Grand Prix from fourth place and spent the majority of the race battling among the top three positions.

I really feel for Massa. The Brazilian drove his heart out in Barcelona. He used the power boost provided by his KERS energy recovery system to blast ahead of the two Red Bulls into the opening corner, then held them back for all but the last dozen laps of the race. Sixth place was a poor reward for his efforts.

The Brazilian's drive was ruined by a refuelling problem which prevented his car getting enough fuel on both his pit stops. My co-commentators, Damien Smith and Alex Yoong, and I were all surprised when Massa made his second stop about six laps before we expected. Little did we know he would not get sufficient litres in his tank for a second time.

One can only imagine Massa's thoughts when he was first forced to give up his pursuit of Sebastian Vettel. Then he had to slow and let Fernando Alonso through to fifth. Still, it gave the Spanish race fans something to celebrate.

The refuelling glitch is typical of the many "quality control" issues that have bedevilled Ferrari this season. One simply cannot imagine them being tolerated in the era when Ross Brawn, Jean Todt and - dare I mention his name? - Nigel Stepney were ruling Maranello.

Brawn and Todt, of course, elected to step down at the same time as Michael Schumacher retired. Chief mechanic Nigel Stepney was, of course, implicated in the "McLarengate" spying scandal. Whatever the reasons for their departure, their absence has clearly left a vacuum that has still not properly been filled.

One can sympathise more on the mechanical failings that have come with the team's rush to integrate the previously unproven KERS technology in the cars. In that respect, Ferrari are no worse (and possibly responding slightly better) than rivals McLaren, Renault and BMW

Continued